Iran continues to battle the spread of deadly coronavirus, with Monday figures have shown another surge of infections and deaths.
According to the latest reports on Monday, the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak, officially known as COVID-19, in Iran has risen to 853 with nearly 15,000 confirmed cases, Mehr news agency reported.
Iran’s Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour made the announcement, saying that 1,053 more cases have tested positive in the past 24 hours, increasing the total number of infections in Iran to 14,991.
The official also confirmed 4,996 recovered cases so far.
Referring to the rising cases of infection in Mashhad, he urged people to refrain from traveling to the city in Razavi Khorasan Province.
He noted that the only way to defeat the outbreak is to stay at home and avoid unnecessary travels.
Based on the latest reports on Monday, the total number of coronavirus cases worldwide has hit 169,610 with 6,518 deaths in 157 countries.
Member of Top Clerical Body Dies
Meanwhile on Monday, Ayatollah Hashem Bathayi Golpayegani, who was 78, died two days after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus and being hospitalized, IRNA news agency reported.
The official represented Tehran in the Assembly of Experts, an 88-strong body of clerics that appoints and monitors the country’s supreme leader.
At least 12 Iranian politicians and officials, both sitting and former, have now died of the illness, and 13 more have been infected and are either in quarantine or being treated.
Jahangiri Tests Negative
For his part, Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri returned to work after testing negative for the new coronavirus.
In the statement released on Sunday, Jahangiri’s office thanked the people for their concern about the health of the first vice-president, saying he has recovered from a cold.
‘No Plan to Quarantine Cities’
On the other hand, Iranian Police Commander Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari denied plans to quarantine cities amid the outbreak.
Speaking at a military gathering on Sunday, the Police commander said neither the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters nor the Police have put the idea of quarantining the cities on the agenda.
The Police believe that the new disease, like the previous challenges, is going to be controlled and contained with public cooperation, devotion and rapport, he added, as quoted by Tasnim news agency.
Source: Iranian media
